NHL expansion draft rumors: Vegas Golden Knights roster takes shape

The Vegas Golden Knights have assembled their first team in franchise history and news is beginning to leak out about the composition of the roster.

The NHL’s other 30 teams submitted their lists of protected players on Sunday and Vegas had until 10 a.m. ET Wednesday to select one player from each team. General manager George McPhee said Tuesday that the team planned to keep tinkering with its picks until right up to the deadline.

McPhee also said that Vegas has six trade agreements in place with teams. The deals reportedly entail teams sending draft picks to Vegas in exchange for the assurance that the Golden Knights will not select certain unprotected players in the expansion process. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reported that such deals are in place with the Islanders, Blackhawks, Blue Jackets and Ducks.

Sportsnet’s John Shannon reported shortly after 3:30 p.m. ET that all 30 teams have been informed which players they’ll be losing in the expansion draft and set out informing the players. Vegas’s selections will officially be announced during the NHL’s awards show Wednesday night beginning at 8 p.m. ET. Follow all the latest news on the expansion draft below.

• The Penguins are sending a draft pick to Vegas to have the Golden Knights take Marc-Andre Fleury and clear space off Pittsburgh’s cap. (Pierre LeBrun, TSN)

• Wild restricted free agent Erik Haula will be selected by Vegas in the expansion draft and then sign a multi-year deal. Minnesota prospect Alex Tuch is being traded to the Golden Knights in exchange for the assurance from Vegas that it will not select one of Minnesota’s valuable unprotected players, such as Eric Staal, Marco Scandella and Matt Dumba. Minnesota will also receive a conditional draft pick from Vegas in the Tuch deal. (Michael Russo, Star Tribune)

• The Ducks are believed to be taking Clayton Stoner in the draft and acquiring Shea Theodore in exchange for passing on Sami Vatanen and Josh Manson. (Bob McKenzie, TSN)

• The Rangers are losing Oscar Lindberg, not goalie Antti Raanta. It isn’t clear yet if Lindberg, a 25-year-old checking forward, was Vegas’s first choice or if the Rangers had an agreement in place to steer the Golden Knights away from picking Raanta. (Frank Seravalli, TSN) UPDATE: There is no trade in place with Vegas. The Golden Knights picked Lindberg over Raanta and Michael Grabner. (Larry Brooks, New York Post)

• The previously reported deal between the Islanders and Golden Knights will entail Vegas taking young goaltender Jean-Francois Berube in the expansion draft. (Bob McKenzie, TSN)

• Vegas is Griffin Reinhart from the Oilers. Reinhart, the No. 4 pick in the 2012 draft, was acquired from the Islanders for two first-round picks in 2015. He played 29 games for Edmonton in the 2015–16 season and did not appear in the NHL last season. (John Shannon, Sportsnet)